Projectile method and means



Oct. 6, 1953 M. B. ROBINSON PROJECTILE METHOD AND MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. '7, 1947 Oct. 6, 1953 M. B. ROBINSON PROJECTILE METHOD AND MEANS Filed Oct. 7, 1947 FIG-5 2 Sheets-Shee't 2 FEE-7 DVVEWTOK.

Patented Oct. 6, 1953 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to projectiles and more particularly to one which is provided with a spring which is held in the projectile in a contracted nested coiled condition and which spring is discharged from the projectile at some point of the projectile trajectory to expand into an open spiral spring.

The present invention may be utilized as an anti-aircraft shell to provide a spring means by which the propellers of aircraft may be entangled or a large area of metal through which enemy aircraft will pass to destroy themselves upon engagement with the expanded spring.

The present invention may also be utilized in a torpedo having such a spring which may be released at the proper time to entangle the propellers of ships of all kinds and cause them to cease functioning and thus stop further propulsion of the ship.

The present invention may also be utilized with a bomb, mine, or conventional artillery shell and thus provide a spring which will be discharged therefrom and expand in open condition to present a greater area of destruction than heretofore possible.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a projectile having a spring-like metal wound therein in contracted nested condition and having means for releasing the spring whereby the spring expands to cover a large area and which releasing means may be actuated by radiant energy, such as sound, magnetism, light, heat, or radio waves, all of which have been utilized in my copencling applications Serial No. 418,497 filed November 10, 1941, now abandoned; Serial No. 447,227 filed June 16, 1942, now abandoned; Serial No. 486,583 filed May 11, 1943, now abandoned; Serial No. 601,858 filed June 2'7, 1946, now abandoned; these applications being continuations of my application Serial No. 340,629 filed June 10, 1940, now abandoned; to fire an explosive or rocket charge.

It will of course be understood that the spring releasing means may be actuated by a conventional time fuse or a time fuse such as that illustrated in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 565,264 filed November 27, 1944; Serial No. 601,858 filed June 2'7, 1945, or Serial No. 676,373 filed June 13, 1946, now abandoned.

It will also be recognized that the projectile of the present invention may be combined with a self-directing missile such as that illustrated in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 418,497 filed November 10, 1941; Serial No. 447,227 filed June 16, 1942; Serial No. 486,583 filed May 11,

1953; which applications also are continuations of my said application Serial No. 340,629 filed June 15, 1940.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a spring wound therein in a contracted nested condition to thereby occupy a minimum space and having an explosive means for releasing the thus wound spring and which explosive means is automatically fired during the flight of the projectile whereby the released spring expands into an enlarged spiral coil occupying a maximum space.

The present invention further contemplates the provision of a projectile having a coiled spring wound about an inner coil at the center of the spring and extending into a coil at the exterior of the spring, the coils being in contracted nested condition in opposition to the normal expanding tension of the spring. Means are provided for normally holding the spring in nested condition and means for releasing the spring from nested condition whereby the spring is discharged from the projectile and permitted to expand as a spiral spring to cover a relatively large area, the coils or convolutions of the spring having a common center and lying in a substantially common plane.

The present invention still further contemplates a projectile having a spring coiled to form a plurality of connected coils, each coil having a common center and each coil lying in substantially a common plane, the center of each coil positioned along a longitudinal axis through the projectile and the outermost convolution of each coil lying at the exterior of the projectile.

The present invention still further contemplates a projectile having a container for an explosive at the central interior of the projectile about which container a spring-like member is wound in contracted nested condition as a spiral and which projectile has a spring retaining means dischargeable from the rear of the container by the explosive means to thereby release the spring-like member and permit it to expand into normal extended spiral condition.

The present invention still further contemplates the provision of a projectile having a spring-like member wound about itself as a spiral coil and having an explosive mounted thereon, preferably in the interior thereof, to thereby provide a greater area of explosion than heretofore possible.

These other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the description which follows and the drawings 3 appended thereto, in the figures of which like reference characters denote like elements and in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a projectile according to my invention and partly in section to show the arrangement of spiral springs therein.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a modified projectile according to my invention and in partial section to illustrate the operative elements thereof.

Fig. 3-illu strats the manner of winding the spring included in the device of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the position assumed by the spring in the device of Fig. 2 after it has been fired from the projectile.

Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation partiallyin se ction of the arming element of projectiles 'accord ing to my invention. r

Fig. 6 is a detail of the nose of the projectile illustrated in Fig. 2. a a

Fig. '7 is a schematic Wiring diagram of the means fonexploding the charge in' the projectiles accordingto'my invention. I

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagramof an antenna means for'exploding the charge in the projectiles accordingt'o'my'invention.

Figfllis a partial plan view M a modified spring according to my invention. I g I Fig; 1'0 is a partial"elevation'and 'section'ofa further modifiediproje'ctile. p v

"Referringn'ow to the-drawings andmoreparticularly'toFigs. 1, send 7, I'wi'nd a plurality of spiral springs l0 around the container'i2. As illustrate'din Figfilfeach c'oiled spring l'U-is arranged on top 'of the other with the'contain'er extendin through the "center *ef' each coil.

Each Spring l' ii may be said to be-- similar :tofa cbhwwateh spring, it 'benfi I fi derstood th t this 'rfrenceto awash-spring 'solely for the -purpose f" illustration 1 in understanding my invention, the spir inglii *being forrjried from a heavy metal, 'suchas steel, which can; be coiled about itself and which will withstand theforces "of explosion utilized to discharge the springs frg'm their-[coiled position a'bout the'con tainer l2, as i shall describefand the discharge 'ofthe projectile from a gun. i n

The springs l0 and the container 12 "are housed-within the'casing M'Tef theiprojectile, the bottom mu 1 6' "of which casing closes the open bottompf' th cqnta'mer' l 2. -infwhich container r r s'd' plo ive ha g h 'Pre'ferably threadedlymounted on thecasin l4, ,I" provide the nose of the projectile, in which hose 'a radiation responsive means 22 may ice-arranged. In the; illustration of the drawings such radiationres'ponsive means; isshown .asya photo-electric cell, responsive to heat or light, though itwill'beunderstood that an 'antenna may be substituted therefor that will-pick-up radio waves-such as illustrated in Fig. 8.

In the hollow-interior '24- of' thenose- 20,- the elem'entsby means of which thecharge l8 will be exploded. may "be housed. These" elements and the diagrambfthe wiresc onnecting them to the explosive charge l8--are illu's'trat'ed in -detailin Figs. 7' ends, to which further reference will hereinafter'bemade.

The nose- 20 is p'r'oviddwith' the separating wall 26' on' the under side of which the arming eleme'nt-"28 is carried and on the upperside of which, the elements heretofore referred td'are mounted.

"In thatone bf 'the'embod'iments' ofiny invention illustratedinFigj 1,- a pluralitybf'isprifigsH 0' which a suspending means such as the balloon 132 ii'ss'e'cured. -This is for the purpose of convenience in illustration, it being understood that '"tlifsprings"illustrated in the projectile of Fig. 1

are-notprovided with such suspending balloon. It will of course be understood that, if desired. thetop spring 34 of the plurality of springs illustrated in Fig. 1 may be provided with a balloon 32, *to wl'iich I sh'a ll refer in Thy des'eiipti'oh of the "embodiment of may invention illustrated in Fig. 2 or with a single s'pring suchas that illustrated in'Fig. 3arid to which I shall refer in my description of the embo'din'1'ent illustrate-"d Fig. 2.

It will be recognized that in this case 'abatte'ry such as'68 need notbe used'andthat' the photoelectric 'cell 22 in such cehstruction is replaced bytheantenna iili.

It will be here neted that the convolutions 30 of'the 'spring ID are held againsteach other when the spring is in closed position in the projectile as illustrated in i Fig. 1, but are'- spaced fro'm each other when the spring has beenreleased in the r'rianner that -I=-shall further describe 5 to assume the open condition illustrated in- 'Figf l. -'-Tliedistance of spacing between the convolutions of the spring are of course dependent 'upon the inherenttens'ion of i the material from''which the springis formed, it being understood'that I desire to cover asgreat'an area as Possible, "that-isprovide a "spring of largest diameter when openedfthat' is consonant with the 1strength required for the purposes ofiny invenion.

f'shall nowflescribe the arming element 28, illustrated in"Fig.' '7, by means of which my projectile is' placed in condition to release the springs iqby firing the explosive charge 'I 8.

This arming element 28 is'provided with" the plunger like member '3 8 which is slid'eablym'oveable'in'a chamber-40 from the inoperative or t n-armed position to theoperative or armed positionfagainst the bottom" 42 of the 1 chamber undenthe expansion'of the spring 44.

The p'luiig'eritt is locked in the un-arme'dj'posltion of Fig. f! :by the" spring actuated lock. pin which isreleased'fby"centrifugal f'o'rce after acceleration has ceased, andwhi ch lock pin and plunger are conventional.

The plunger 38 at the bottom'fthereof-isfprovid'edfwith the 'el'ectr'idcontactfifl" mounted on the Wall of the plunger.

The insidewall' of" the chamber'fifl is provided on one side of rthe "chamber 'with the electric contacts}! and "54, which are bridged" by the contact 48 when the plunger is forced to iits lowermost positionby'the"spring 44. upon release of thelo'ck pin 46.

r Thuswhen the proj'e'ctile'leaves 'thefgun and acceleration ceases an' "electric circuit" is "completedbetween the battery BO'and' the amplifier 62. unnecessary'to illustrate 'in'd'etail such an amplifier since itwould be conventional" and As will be recognized, in order to cause a photo-.

electric cell to function a battery 68 is arranged between the amplifier B2 and the means 22.

The radiation responsive means 22 is recessed in the nose 2!! and will receive radiant energy, either light or heat, projected from the target, such an an aeroplane, when the projectile approaches the vicinity thereof.

The current generated by the photo-electric cell 22 is amplified to attract the armature t4 and thus close a circuit between the battery 60 and the firing means 10, such as fulminate of mercury, for exploding the charge IS.

The explosion of the charge I8, which is downward in the container I2 to force the casing away from the spring II! and upward to strip the threads I? and blow the nose away from the casing and release the springs Ii! from the container [2.

When the springs it are thus released, by their inherent tension they expand into the spiral condition illustrated in Fig. 4.

These expanded springs occupy a large area in the air so that they will be struck by airplanes '54 in whose path they may lie.

It will of course be understood that means may be provided in such a projectile for transmitting radiant energy, such as heat or light to the target, for example an aeroplane, which will be reflected by the target to generate current in the means 22 and release the springs I!) in the manner that I have described.

The springs it may be released from the projectile by radiant energy, such as conventional radio waves, sent from a remote point on the ground or elsewhere or from the projectile to be reflected by the target.

Such radio waves are picked up by the antenna 35 (see Fig. 8) and are amplified by the amplifier 62 to close a circuit between the firing means to and the battery 69, as I have described heretofore. The plunger 38 in Fig. 8 is shown in the projectile arming position with the contacts 52 and E i bridged by the contact 48.

Th embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided with a single spring 76, which spring comprises a plurality of coils '58, instead of a number of spirally coiled springs it, such as illustrated in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

The single spring It is coiled about the container It in the manner which I shall now describe with particular reference to Fig. 3. The spiral coils 13 are connected to each other by the links 852 at the outermost parts of the coils and links 52 at the centers of the coils.

The single spring '56 may be wound, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the center 84 of the first coil #8 being wound about the container !2 at the center of the projectile with its outermost convolution at the exterior of the shell.

This outermost convolution of the first coil is connected by the link 85 with the outermost convolution of the second coil, which is wound about itself to arrange the center 86 of the second coil about the container 2 at the center of the projectile.

The convolution of the second coil is connected by the link 82 to the innermost convolution. of the third coil at the center 853 thereof about the container 12, which third coil is wound about itself so that its outermost convolution is positioned at the exterior of the projectile and continues into the link to join the next succeeding coil 18 (which need not be illustrated).

Thi method of winding continues until a spring having the desired number of coils is provided for the projectile.

When the spring 16 is released and discharged from the projectile in the manner described With referenc to the embodiment of Fig. 1 or in the manner which I shall describe, it assumes the open condition illustrated in Fig. 4. Thus with the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l a greater area of expanded spring can be obtained for the same size of shell. It should be here noted that with both constructions, whether a plurality of springs or a single spring, there are provided coils, each having a common center at the center of the projectile and an outermost convolution at the exterior of the projectile. The innermost convolution of each coil is wound about the container [2 at the center of the projectile and the convolutions of each coil lie in substantially the same or a common plane. When they are Wound in nested contracted condition in the shell and when released therefrom the convolutions of each separate expanded coil also lie in substantially the same plane.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, the nose at is similarly provided with a radiation responsive means 22 or an antenna 36 and the arming element 28, as well as the means for exploding the charge i8, such as illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8.

The nose 88 is provided with a compartment 90 in which the balloon or spring suspending means 32 is housed.

The nose 88 is pressed on the gas containing chamber 92 and may be separated from the gas containing chamber 92 by means of a soft metal ring 95, the function of which I shall describe.

At the center of the chamber 92, I provide a soft metal plug 96 above the puncturing element 98 on the lever I90.

The lever Hit is mounted intermediate its ends to the top 102 of the chamber 92 by means of the pivot Ills. Extending up from the lever lllil, I provide the finger me which abuts against the wall 198 in the interior of the nose 88. The finger extends through an opening in the top 592 which is made air or gas tight.

The lever I98 is held in normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 6, with the finger [96 against the Wall its by means of expanding spring lit, to dispose the puncturing element 98 away from the soft metal plug 96.

In operation, when the projectile is fired from a gun, the pressure of the wind on the nose 88 as Well as the set-back arising from the acceleration of the projectile, causes the nose 8% to move downwardly on the soft metal ring 9d against the chamber 92.

This movement, through the finger H355 rotates the lever tilt about its pivot Iii l, causing the element $38 to puncture the plug 96 in the spool I2 and the top m2.

The balloon 32 is in communication with the passage EM in the spool, which passage is connected to the gas chamber 92. The passage H4 is closed by the plug 9%; which as stated is opened by the element So long as the wind pressure forces the nose 38 against the chamber (which occurs until the nose 3% is blown from the pro jeotile by the explosion of the charge It), the puncturing element 98 keeps the passage H 5 closed so that the gas contained in the chamber 7 92 will not be discharged therefrom into the balloons-2 toinfiateeit.

EEhe upper .endIIfiof the spring 1.6 secured to the gas .chamber 92 when the spring is .wound about the container I2. *Ihe lowermost con.- volutions N6 of the spring are held inposition by means of the'cap 1| I18, whichicloses ,offthe open .endof the container I2.

The charge I8 will be exploded by radiant energy received by the means 22 or antenna =36, as previously described, to .blow off .the .cap 1 It. The resulting jar .willlcause thelnoseh-afi .to separate'fromthe chamber32 containing member, which action .may beassisted by suitable spring between them, which need not beillustrated.

In order .to insure that the vnose 88 will .be blown loose :from the member 9, .in which the gas .chamber .92 .is arranged, I ,connect the icon,- tainer .112 by means of the channel I22 to the chamber-I213 on =which.the..pr.oj.ection I25 rests. Thus an explosive viforce when the chargellB is fired willbe directed against the nose :88 to force it from the, member I IS) whereby the balloon is inflated as I shall nowdescribe.

Upon-releasing-the nose B8,:the lever 195} is forced .downbythe spring I I!) thereby opening communication through the passage Il l'of the balloon; 32 with the ,chamber .92 thereby inflating theballoonso that the spring 16, expansion of which @is. permitted by blowing away the cap H8, is suspended :in the air in the expanded condition illustrated in Fig. 42.

In order to permit the spring to freely assume any position relativeto :the balloon, the spool 1121s lmountedon the-top Illzofthechamber 92 by means of the ball bearing I26.

':It will now be recognized that the projectile It may 'beldischarged from a gun located on the :ground, or in ,an aeroplane, in ship, .in a land :vehicle, 'in an underwater craft, etc, and the springreleased ibyenergy received by the means 22110111 .or reflected by aztarget such-as an enemy aeroplane, ship, submarine or other moving vehicle or stationary target.

:It willbe further understood that the means 22 maybe substituted by an antenna 36 sothat the projectile may beexploded as heretofore described, from a remote point by sending out therefrom.totheprojectile radio waves of afrequency to which the antenna and the receiver amplifier-3'2 are tuned. 'I'hus thesprings Iii or spring *1S,may be released by a person at some remote point .at .anyiselected position of travel of the projectile.

It will be further understood that a radio transmitter may beimounted in the nose of the projectile to send therefrom radio waves which are-reflected by the target and received by the antenna 35, as by the means described in my co-pending application Serial No. 486,583 filed May 11, 1-943; and Serial No. 557,289 filed October 5, 19%.

Itwill be further understood, though it-need not be described in detail that the means-22 may-be substituted, by a conventional time fuse which may be set to explode thechargeid and release the spring vorsprings at a selected time and so-;wh en the projectile. has reached a desired position in its night.

It will be further-understood that theprojectile described in my co-pending application Serial No. 418,497, filed November-10, 1941, which relates to directed missiles may be arranged to contain the spiral spring or springs heretofore, described and the-means-for discharging them from the projectile. Thus, my projectile may direct itself to a target and when in its proximity ,may be explodedto there release the spiral entangling springs in or spring :16.

The projectile illustrated in Figs. ,1 and 2, ,is preferably provided with the riding band I28 which imparts rotation to the projectile ,by the rifiing grooves .in the barrel of the ,gun from which v the projectile is fired.

"I'hespring it at its upper ,end I I6 is mounted on the member IIQZand at its lower end I39 71.13 the cap :IIB. 'I-he connectionto the member H9 is made strong enough ,so that the-end J15 ,will not-be disconnected from the, member U9 upon the explosion of -I 3 but the connection of the end I38 t0 ,the cap H8 is made weak enoughso that .thecap I I8 will be disconnected from the sprin by the explosion of thecharge I8.

The winding of'the spring I6 is made opposite to the rotation ,of :the projectile by the rifling band I28,s0 that during the flight of the projectile the spring 76 is caused to remain tightly wound about the container I2.

It will be recognized that the force of the ,GX- plosion of the charge I8 is arranged so that it will be directed downwardly in the container I12 to force the casing I4 away from the springs It. In order to insure scattering of the springs I0 upon their release from the casing Id, I arrange the explosive charge I32 along the bottom wall I6.

';I1l.0 1'd1 to explode the charge I32, I,connect itto the container i2 bymeans oithechannels Iii l. Thus when thecharge i8 is exploded, the charge I32 is concurrently fired to force the springs it! outwardly of the casing Id as the nose 2;; is released from the casing as heretofore described. It will be recognized that the casing I l functions similarly to the barrel ,of a rifle to dischargethespring therefrom'by the explosion of the charge I32.

The interiorof the casing I l may be rifled by grooving it so that the springs It when they are fired from the casing by the explosion of the charge 162, they ,will have imparted to them a spinor rotation similar to that of a shell fired from. a gun.

The spiral springs it or the single spring ifi may have preferably in the interior thereof a charge which will be exploded upon contact of thespring by any object which it engages, It will be recognized that the spiral springer springs may be mounted in a bomb from which the spring will be released at a selected time after the bomb is discharged or a wound spring, containing'the explosive charge, either in the interior or on the exterior of the spring, may bereleased from a plane, for example, andthus' itself'constitute the-bomb.

In any event, by thus arranging in or on the spring an explosive charge, there is provided an extremely large ,explosive area not' heretofore realized tsinceg the expanding spring. will occupy azlarge space and thus distribute the explosive charge throughout the ,area in which-the expanded spring is located.

- Referring now to Fig. 9, I havethere illustrated in afragmentary view of a modified form of spiral spring, particularly that illustrated mrig. 2, which-constitutes a spring-like bomb I36. This modified form-of spring at its lower end is wound around a fuse I38 which may be a conventional time fuse or proximity fuse, which therefore need not be described in further detail.

The spring and the fuse around which is wound in a tightly nested contracted condition constitute a bomb which may be dropped from an aeroplane. Upon release of such a bomb-like spring, the inherent expanding tension of the spring will cause it to expand into the spiral condition illustrated in Fig. 9, with the fuse H8 at the center of the spiral.

The interior of the spring is arranged tocarry an explosive charge, which may alternatively be arranged on the outside of the coils. As the spring approaches the proximity of the target, the fuse E38 (if it is a proximity fuse) will explode the charge carried by the spring. It will be recognized that the spring, since it has expanded into an enlarged spiral, covers a large area of size not heretofore possible of accomplishment, over which area the charge will be exploded.

This unusually large area throughout which the explosion occurs can also be efiected by using a conventional time fuse at the center of the spring which fuse will explode the charge after the lapse of a selected time period, determined upon release of the spring bomb from a plane.

It will be further understood that the spring bomb illustrated in Fig. 9 may have mounted on its other end a suspending means such as the balloon 32 (Fig. 4), parachute or other such means. Thus the spring bomb may be held sus pended in the air after it has been released and expanded into the enlarged spiral form. Thus a spring of this kind may be dispersed throughout a selected space and will be exploded either by contact or by the eiTect of the approach of the target on a proximity fuse mounted on the spring bomb.

It will be further understood that there may be substituted for the use I38, a radio wave receiving device and combined exploding means such as that illustrated in Fig. 8. Where such construction is used, the springlike bomb 136 may be exploded by sending to it from a remote point, either in an airplane or on the ground, radiant energy from a transmitter. Upon the receipt by the antenna 3% (arranged in the springlike bomb I36) the explosive charge carried by the expanded spiral spring will be fired, as desired.

Referring now to Fig. 10, I have there illustrated a further modified form of spiral spring, such as that illustrated in Fig. 2, and having a form of time fuse. The lower coils [M] of this spring are provided with a relatively slow burning charge and the remainder of the coils carry therein and thereon or either an explosive charge.

With such construction the cap I I8 is provided with the groove 142 which communicates at one end with the interior of the container [2 and the other end with the slow burning charge on or in the coils Hill.

In operation, upon explosion of the charge I8, the cap H8 will be blown off and the spring 16 released. Concurrently the explosion will start the charge on or in the coils 140 to burn. By the proper selection of the type of powder, the time of burning thereof can be selected and so the time when the explosive charge in the remainder of the coils is fired. This of course is selected to occur at such time when the spring 76 will have completely expanded.

It will be understood that the walls of the container l2 are chosen of such strength that they will withstand the force of explosion of the charge 18 to insure that it will be directed downward to force away the casing 14 or the cap H8 and upwardly to dismount the nose 2a or the nose 88 as heretofore described. Further the charge i8 is likewise chosen of such explosive characteristic that this will be accomplished without damage to the spring or any other elements or members mounted thereon.

The explosive charge carried by the springs 10, spring 16 or springlike bomb I36 may if desired be substituted by a material that gives off a light, for example a phosphorus, so that the springs or spring become flares. By reason of the unusually large area covered by the expanded spiral spring there will thus be provided a flare by means of which an extremely large area will be lighted.

It will be understood that the various elements of my device that are responsive to radiation may be protected against damage from set-back occurring when the projectile is fired from a gun or is accelerated by a means such as that illustrated.

in my co-pending application Serial No. 418,497 filed November 10, 1941; and Serial No. 554,814 filed September 19, 1944, now Patent No. 2,614,814, in which the set-back is absorbed by a liquid bearing means.

It will be understood that any or all parts of my earlier inventions previously mentioned, may be used with any or all parts of this invention, such as the projection of the springs H1 or the spring 15, or the spring I36, from the multi-bore projectile of Serial No. 601,858 filed June 27, 1945; or Serial No. 676,373 filed June 13, 1946 or the multi-bore gun of Serial No. 565,264 filed November 27, 1944.

This spring may also be in the form of a rocket by adding a conventional rocket chamber at its rear end it or I [8 or at the rear end of the spring I36, and be projected by the rocket force contained in the chamber.

While I have described in detail embodiments of my invention, these are for purposes of illustration and I do not intend to be limited to the details shown and described.

Hence I intend to be limited only by the claims appended hereto and the state of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A missile, comprising a nose member including a container for gas and a hollow windshield releasably mounted on the container; a collapsed balloon within the windshield; conduit means connecting the balloon and the gas container; a cap member spaced from the nose member; an elongated hollow supporting member extending between the nose member and the cap member; a series of spiral springs wound about the supporting member in contracted juxtaposition, the springs being connected together and being fastened at one end to the gas container; means within the hollow supporting member for separating the cap member and the nose member and for ejecting the windshield from the gas container; and valve means for releasing the gas from the container into the balloon upon the separation of the windshield from the container.

2. A missile, comprising a nose member including a container for gas and a hollow windshield releasably mounted on the container; a collapsed balloon within the Windshield; conduit means connecting the balloon and the gas container; a cap member spaced from the nose member; an elongated hollow supporting member extending between the nose member and the cap member; a series of spiral springs wound about the supporting member in contracted juxtaposition, the springs being connected together and being fastened at one end to the gas container; means within the hollow supporting member for separating the cap member and the nose member and for ejecting the windshield from he gas container; a diaphragm closing the cor}- duit means; and means for puncturingthe di: aphragm during the flight of the missile and tor releasing the gas from the container into theballoon upon the separation of the windshield from the container.; V

3, A missile, comprising a nose memberineluding a container for gas, and a hollowwvindshield frictionally mounted on it and having limited rearward movement relative thereto, a collapsed balloon within the windshield; conduit meansconnecting the balloon and the gas container; a diaphragm closing the conduit means; a cap member spaced from the nose member; an elongated hollow supporting member extending between the nose member and thecap member; a series ofspiral springs wound about the supporting member in contracted juxtaposition the p s be te ethe .a iq b in fastened to the gas container; means within the hollow supporting member for separating the cap member and the nose member and for ejecting the windshield from the 'gas container; and means for puncturing thediaphi'ag'ri'i when the Windshield moves rearwardlj relative to the gas container and for releasing the gas from the container into the balloon upon the separation of the windshield from the gas container.

MARioN B. RoBINsoN.

Refmiic'es Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name Date,

1,229,421 Downs June 12, 1917 1,247,331 Robinson Nov. 20, 1917 1,355,130 Craig Oct. 12, 1920 2,269,900 Bickel Mar. 3, 1942 2,347,994 De Camp May 2, 1944 Lee Mar. 27,

FOREIGN PATENTS Number counter Date 328,784 Italy Aug. 20, 1935 797,111 France Feb. 3, 1936 France Aug. 22, 91,592 Sweden Feb. 24, 1938 839,407 France Jan. 4, 1939 96,577 Sweden June 15, 1939 851,361 France Oct. 2, 1939 

